Eden Texas History:
The town was founded by Frederick Ede in 1881 when he gave 40 acres for the townsite and land for the town square. The Eden post office opened in 1883 using an adaption of Frederick Ede’s name. The first school in the community opened in 1884–85. By 1890 Eden had a school, a Baptist church, general store, saloon, jeweler, and 107 residents. By 1908 it had a bank, telephone service and a windmill and public well. The town incorporated in 1911. In 1912, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built a line between Eden and Lometa. In 1914, Eden had a newspaper, Baptist and Methodist churches, a restaurant, two hotels, two general stores, two hardware stores, two lumber companies, two cotton gins and 600 residents. When sheep ranching increased after 1925, the town became a center for wool and mohair production. Today industries include cattle, sheep and goat ranching, farming (cotton and forage crops), and oil and gas production. The Eden area is a popular hunting area. Eden is located at the intersection of U.S. 87 (Broadway Street) and U.S. 83 (Main Street), 65 miles southwest of Coleman, 32 miles northwest of Brady, 21 miles north of Menard, 20.7 miles southeast of Paint Rock, 45 miles southwest of San Angelo, and 37 miles southwest of Ballinger, Texas.

Texas Plains Trail Region:
The 52-county Texas Plains Trail Region includes the Texas Panhandle and Plains. It stretches from the Texas towns of Big Spring and Colorado City in the southern portion of the region, to Muleshoe and the New Mexico state border in the west, to Quanah and Knox City in the east, and to the top of the Texas Panhandle, from Dalhart in the west to Lipscomb in the east. The Texas Plains Trail Region organization is a nonprofit heritage tourism organization affiliated with the Texas Historical Commission. TPTR acts as an economic development initiative that helps Texas communities to promote their historic and cultural resources, and increase tourism to their areas. The organization helps promote travel to heritage destinations and historic sites. A name repeatedly mentioned in the history of West Texas is Cynthia Ann Parker, a young child captured during a raid on Fort Parker. She grew up among the Comanches, married Comanche chief Peta Nocona, and had three children, Pecos, Quanah and Prairie Flower. In 1860, a party of Texas Rangers led by Sul Ross, a future governor of Texas, rescued her and her infant daughter Prairie Flower; Charles Goodnight participated in this raid. Her son Quanah became famous as the last great war chief of the Comanche. One of TPTR’s most visible recent projects is the Quanah Parker Trail. When the project is completed, giant Quanah Parker arrow markers will have been installed in all 52 counties in the Texas Plains Trail Region. Some counties will have more than one installation. The arrows were created and donated by New Home, Texas, artist Charles Smith. As of early 2014, over 70 arrows had been installed in almost 50 counties. Each arrow will have a plaque giving pertinent historical information. (806) 747-1997. P.O. Box 88, Lubbock, Texas 79408. EmailPlains Trail Map

Memorial Park:
This park honors veterans with a marker and flags. The park is located across the street from Earl Rudder Park on the Square.

Don Freeman Memorial Museum:
Don Freeman’s widow, Lucille Freeman, purchased the vacant post office building and donated it to the city with the request that the museum be established in memory of Don. The museum features exhibits depicting the history of Concho County and Eden. It also offers information and exhibits highlighting the career of hometown hero, General Ira C. Eaker who was the first to fly a plane on instrument across the United States, and who pioneered mid-air refueling. Open Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun, 1pm-4pm. Contact the city hall, Mon-Fri, (325) 869-2211. Weekends: (325) 869-5074. The museum is located on Paint Rock Street on the town square.

Barrow Foundation Museum, Eola, TX:
The museum was founded by Earnest and Dorothy Barrow in 1976 as a way to share with the public their extensive collections acquired during their travels. The museum began as one building. It now consists of three buildings and their former home. Collections include geological specimens from around the world, Indian points and artifacts from around the U.S., furniture, appliances, glassware, figurines (Hummels and others), stuffed animals, war memorabilia, stuffed animals, vintage cars, farm equipment, musical instruments, medical and dental equipment, seashells, and more. Open Fri-Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun, 1pm-5pm; and by appointment. School field trips are welcomed. (325) 653-7642. SH 765, Private Road 1459, Eola, Texas. EmailEola Area Map

Paint Rock Pictographs:
Over 1,500 red, orange, yellow, white, and black pictographs are located northwest of Paint Rock along a half mile stretch of bluffs on the Concho River. These painted drawings include human figures and animals, such as buffalo and deer. Some natives left their handprints, perhaps as a way of signing their work or merely indicating that they had been there. These drawings are thought to date back to the Toyah period (ca. A.D. 1300 – 1650). Paintings of horses and a church demonstrate that use of the site by native groups continued after contact with the Spanish. A painting of a rectangular structure with two crosses atop it is believed by many to represent the 1757 San Saba Mission, the remains of which have been uncovered near present-day Menard some 50 miles to the south. The Paint Rock area was a center of hostilities between the Lipan and Comanche. It is thought the Comanche and other Indians traveling through the area left their signs on the bluff. This site is unusual as there are very few pictograph sites in Central and Northwest Texas. Rock art is much more prevalent, generally more ancient, and better preserved in the Lower Pecos and Trans-Pecos areas. The Pictographs are located on the ranch of Fred and Kay Campbell. They offer guided tours for a small fee. The entrance is located approximately a mile north of town on U.S. 83. Open the main gate, drive through it and then be sure to close it behind you so that the two bison bulls don't wander out into traffic. Drive to the visitor's center and make tour arrangements or just follow the signs on the solstice. You will drive on an old, gravel ranch road which will wind its way down to the riverside canyon where there is a parking area. A gathering occurs on every solstice or equinox; admission is free. (325) 732-4376. For more information call the Concho County Judge’s office at (325) 732-4321, or call the Concho County AgriLife Extension Office at (325) 732-4304. Extension Office Email